Ernest Thesiger
An eccentric character actor of stage and screen, unforgettable as the sinister, bone-collecting Dr. Pretorius in 'Bride of Frankenstein'.
1879–1961 (age 82)·English actor·Birthday: January 15·The Gilded Age
Biography
Ernest Thesiger brought a uniquely gaunt, dry, and often macabre elegance to every role he inhabited. A veteran of the Western Front in World War I, where he taught needlepoint to wounded soldiers, he carried a world-weary wit into his acting. On the London stage, he was a favorite of playwrights like Noël Coward, specializing in waspish aristocrats and flamboyant eccentrics. But it is in film that he achieved a peculiar immortality. As Dr. Septimus Pretorius in James Whale's 'Bride of Frankenstein,' he stole scenes from Boris Karloff with his chilling, avuncular menace, toasting to 'a new world of gods and monsters' while displaying his miniature homunculi. This performance cemented his niche as the go-to actor for the bizarre and the aristocratic grotesque, a thread continued in films like 'The Old Dark House' and later as the befuddled vicar in 'The Man in the White Suit.' Thesiger's art was one of exquisite, needlepoint-fine peculiarity.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Ernest was born in 1879, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernest Was Born
The biggest hits of 1879
Ernest's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1879Born
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1884Started school
President: Chester A. Arthur
1892Became a teenager
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Could drive
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Could vote
President: William McKinley
1900Turned 21
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 30
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 40
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 50
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 60
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 70
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 80
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Died at 82
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
Key Achievements
- Delivered a landmark performance as the sinister Dr. Septimus Pretorius in the classic horror film 'Bride of Frankenstein' (1935).
- Was a distinguished member of the London stage, originating roles in plays by Noël Coward and J.B. Priestley.
- Published an autobiography, 'Practically True,' detailing his experiences in World War I and his theatrical career.
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished needleworker and published a book on the subject, 'Adventures in Embroidery.'
He served as a private in World War I and was seriously wounded at the Battle of the Somme.
He was a direct descendant of the 1st Viscount Chelmsford, a former Viceroy of India.
“My dear, why don't you come and see me some time? I'm often in.”
